Cigarette container



April l0, 1962 D. CONTENT CIGARETTE CONTAINER 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed May 29, 1958 /6 INVENTOR D/PA/ C'a/vrf/vr 1 ,Livin ier ATTORNEYS pri 10, 1962 D. CONTENT 3,028,950

CIGARETTE CONTAINER l Filed May 29, 1958 2 sheets-sheet 2 INVENTOR D/P( Cours/v7' ATTORNEYS United rates Patent tice 3,028,950 CIGARETTE CGNTAINER Dirk Content, 188 Lincoln Ave., Eastchester, N.Y., assignor of twenty percent to Albert C. Nolte, Jr., Manhattan, N.Y.

Filed May 29, 1958, Ser. No. 738,694 8 Claims. (Cl. 206--41) This invention relates in general to cigarette containers and particularly to a new and useful cigarette container having a wall including iiaps adapted to be folded outwardly to form a receptacle for ashes or the like above an inner cigarette compartment.

In many instances, smokers of cigarettes are in locations where ash trays are not readily available and Where some means must be found to dispose of the ashes of the cigarettes in order to permit smoking.

In accordance with the present invention, a cigarette container includes a perforated area in one of the side walls which defines two outwardly foldable flaps. The flaps are provided with folded wall forming extensions which form side walls for an ash tray portion of the box when they are opened. The complete container includes an inner foil wrap compartment for fresh ciga rettes and may include foil lined walls for the ash tray extension panels. With the invention, a smoker need merely sever the perforaticns defining the ash tray forming panels and lift them open to form an ash tray receptacle in the side wall of the cigarette container. Ashes and refuse may be deposited within the wall receptacle temporarily for disposal later at a convenient location. The invention equips the smoker with a ready means of disposing cigarette stubs and ashes in a wall of the same container that holds the cigarettes.

Accordingly, it is an object of this invention to provide an improved cigarette container.

A further object of this invention is to provide an irnproved cigarette container having side walls adapted to be folded outwardly and including bridging walls interconnecting the side Walls and hingedly foldable therefrom from a closed into an ash tray forming open position.

A further object of the invention is to provide a cigarette container which is simple in design, rugged in construction, and economical to manufacture.

The various features of novelty which characterize the invention are pointed out with particularity in the claims annexed to and forming a part of this specification. For a better understanding of the invention, its operating advantages and specific objects attained by its use, reference should be had to the accompanying drawings and descriptive matter in which there is illustrated and described a preferred embodiment of the invention.

In the drawings:

FIG. l is a perspective view of a cigarette container constructed in accordance with the invention;

FIG. 2 is a view similar to FIG. l Vbut indicating the ash tray forming side panels in a partially open position;

FIG. 3 is a perspective view of the cigarette container with the side panels and bridging flaps folded into an open self-sustaining ash tray forming position;

FIG. 4 is a vertical section taken on the line 4 4 of FIG. 3;

FIG. 5 is a View similar to FIG. 4 but indicating a cigarette container with some of the fresh cigarettes removed and with the ash tray portion containing some ashes and disposed cigarette stubs;

FIG. 6 is a transverse vertical section taken on the line 6-6 of FIG. 5;

FIG. 7 is a perspective View of another embodiment of a cigarette container constructed in accordance with the invention;

FIG. 8 is a fragmentary horizontal section taken on the line 8-8 of FIG. 7;

FIG. 9 is a perspective view of still another embodiment of a cigarete container constructed in accordance with the invention; and

FIG. 10 is a perspective View of another embodiment of a cigarette container constructed in accordance with the invention.

Referring to the drawings in particular, the invention as embodied therein includes a container generally designated 10 preferably made of paper, paper board or cardboard material. The container 10 includes a pair of side walls 12, 12, a bottom 14, a front wall 16, and a rear wall generally designated `18. A top 20 is hingedly connected along a fold line 22 to the rear wall 18.

The container is preferably reinforced by suitable cardboard reinforcing material 24 positioned adjacent the side walls 12, 12 and the front wall 16. The interior of the container 10 is lined with a foil-covered paper 26 to form an enclosed compartment for the positioning of fresh cigarettes 28 therein. When the cigarettes are packaged, the foil covered paper 26 is suitably folded at each end to tightly enclose the cigarette therein.

In accordance with the invention, the rear wall 18 is perforated along a perforation line 30 spaced slightly from the fold line 22 and along a perforation line 32 spaced slightly from the bottom 14. A vertical perforation line 33 intersects the perforation lines 30 and 32 to define ash tray forming side wall panels 34 and 36 v respectively. The panel 36 is provided with a notched portion 3S to facilitate opening of each of the panels and tearing of the perforation lines.

In accordance with the invention, the panels 34 andy 36 are preferably lined and joined by a reinforcing and bridging material generally designated 40. In the present embodiment, the bridging material is preferably made of a foil-lined paperl and is preferably sufliciently stiff to render it self-supporting when itis folded outwardly into an ash tray receptacle configuration.

The bridging material 40 is substantially tubular in configuration and includes side panels 42 and 44 which are secured at their lower ends to the reinforcing cardboard stiifening member 24 and which are coextensive with the panels 34 and 36 respectively. The reinforcing and bridging material 40 also includes end panels 46 and 48 which interconnect the side panels 42 and 44 and form the side walls of the ash tray receptacle whenV opened to the position indicated in FIG. 3. The end panels 46 and 48 are each provided with diagonal score lines 50 and 52 which intersect at the center of the top thereof and extend diagonally toward respective sides of the bottom. Three triangular panels 54, 56 and 58 are defined within the end panels 46 and 48 by the top and bottom thereof by the diagonal score lines 50 and 52 and by the edges of adjacent side panels 42 and 44.

When the ash tray receptacle is closed, the central triangular panel 56 lies fiat against the foil covered paper 26 and the adjacent triangular panels 54 and 58 are folded thereover. In the Vupright position indicated in FIGS. 3 to 6 inclusive, the triangular panels 54, 56 and 58 form the substantially self-sustaining end panels 46 and 48.

Cigarettes are removed from the container by opening the top 2d and removing a cigarette from the compartment defined by the foil covered paper 26. An ash tray receptacle is formed by severing the perforations along lines 30, 32 and 34 and lifting the ash tray forming side Wall panels 34 and 36 outwardly. The side wall panels 34 and 36 together with the end wall panels 46 and 48 then form a rectangular receptacle for cigarette ashes and butts and other refuse. If desired, after the receptacle portion is filled with refuse, it may be partially closed as indicated in FIG. 2 to retain the materials until they can be dumped at a convenient location.

In the embodiment illustrated in FIGS. 7 and 8, an ordinary softcovered cigarette container generally designated 69 is provided with a front wall generally designated 62 which is formed from a blank which is die-cut to define a pair of ash tray forming side wall panels 64 and 66 respectively. The panel 66 is provided with a notched portion 68 to facilitate opening of the panels in the same manner as illustrated in the previous embodiment. In the present embodiment, each of the panels 64 and 66 are secured to an inner lining 70 of the container as by adhesive applied at locations indicated at 72 and 74. The adhesive bond is easily broken when the finger is inserted in the notch 63 to lift the side wall 66 and then the side wall 64.

In FIG. 9, there is illustrated another embodiment of a cigarette container in which a ilat wall 76 is formed with two overlapping ash tray forming side wall panels 78 and 80, the panel 80 being slightly larger than the panel 7S and overlapping the latter in the central portion of the front wall 76. The panel Si] is secured to the panel 7S as by adhesive applied along a strip S2.

In the embodiment indicated in FIG. 10, each of two ash tray forming side wall panels 84 and 86 which are formed by die-cutting the blanks from which the container is formed are held in a closed position by an encircling band 88. The band 88 may be of a resilient material or a material such as a plastic or cellophane.

Thus, the invention provides a simple means for converting an ordinary cigarette package into a receptacle for receiving ashes and other cigarette refuse. The container is particularly handy for disposal of cigarette stubs and matches in locations where such disposal is not possible elsewhere.

While a specic embodiment of the invention has been shown and described in detail to illustrate the application of the invention principles, it will be understood that the invention may be embodied otherwise without departing from such principles.

I claim:

1. A cigarette container having a section of one wall formed by two outwardly foldable flaps at opposite sides of said walls, said tiaps being joined as an integral portion of said wall in a closed position and forming side walls of a receptacle in an open position, foldable foil strips secured to the inner surface at the ends of each said ap forming end bridging walls between said side walls in said open position and an inner foil wrapper enclosing cigarettes within said container and forming the bottom of said receptacle.

2. The device of claim 1 wherein said foldable ilaps are formed by transverse perforations at opposite ends of said walls and a longitudinal perforation centrally connecting said transverse perforations.

3. The device of claim 1 wherein said foldable foil strips fold into the interior of said container between said inner wrapper and said i'lap in a closed position.

4. A cigarette container according to claim 1 wherein said side panels are defined on said walls by slits.

5. A cigarette container according to claim 1 wherein said side panels overlap and are initially secured together.

6. A cigarette container according to claim S wherein said side panels are secured together by adhesive.

7. A cigarette container according to claim 5 wherein said side panels are secured together by mechanical means.

8. A cigarette container according to claim 5 wherein said side panels are secured by an overlying container encircling band.

References Cited in the tile of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,540,841 Johnson June 9, 1925 1,579,235 Nigro Apr. 6, 1926 2,318,101 Rose May 4, 1943 2,408,317 Jones Sept. 24, 1946 2,462,160 Bryan Feb. 22, 1949 2,764,984 Cohen et al Oct. 2, 1956 FOREIGN PATENTS 118,655 Australia July 6, 1944 254,157 Great Britain July l, 1926 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE CERTIFICATE OF CORRECTION Patent No. 3,028,950 April l0 1962 Dirk Content It is hereby certified that error appears in the above numbered patent requiring correction and that the said Letters Patent should read as corrected below.

Column 4, line 2, for "walls"1 read wall Signed and sealed this 24th day of July 1962.

(SEAL) Attest:

ERNEST w. swlDER DAVID L- LADD Attesting Officer Commissioner of Patents 

